My Year in Books: An Emily Henry and Smash-the-Patriarchy Era

A breakdown and ratings of the all the books I read this year

As we near the end of 2023, I’ve been reflecting a lot on this past year and what I want to take with me into the new year. I'm anticipating my last post of this year to be centered around a general reflection, but I thought it fitting to dedicate one post to my year in books as I think they tell a beautiful story.

Normally when I track the books I read, I’m meticulous about logging the start and end dates  but don’t pay much attention to ratings. In years past, I’ve tried to write a review afterward as I’ve found it more helpful than a star rating for processing how I feel about a book.

I’ve never placed too much merit in ratings partially because I feel too much indecision in trying to assign them. This is especially true on Storygraph which expands upon the traditional 1-to-5 star rating system Goodreads uses and complicates it even more by adding quarter stars (so it in effect becomes a 24-pt rating system).

The only book rating system I’ve come across that actually defines a star’s meaning is this one from Keeley. Its simplicity has really spoken to me in the past, so in looking back at my log from this year, I was inspired to give it a try.

Rating system borrowed from Keeley, with a couple slight modifications in bold:

No stars: I didn’t like or am indifferent about this book and I wouldn’t recommend it.
1 star (*): I liked this book and would recommend if asked.
2 stars (**): I really enjoyed this book and recommend unsolicited.
3 stars (***): I loved this book! I find myself continually recommending it or thinking about it and would potentially re-read.

Without further ado, here’s my 2023 in books, broken down by fiction and nonfiction!

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FICTION

The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman (**)
Having followed Becca’s journey from marketing professional to podcaster to author, I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into her debut novel. (The first time I saw it on a bookstore shelf I had to take a pic, like I know her IRL. Nope, just a silent longtime fan!) I couldn’t applaud TCOC more—I absolutely adored this novel. From the much-needed friendship story line to the timeline-relevant humor and cultural references, this was a read packed with equal parts fun and seriousness. I very much appreciated the growth of the main character, Hannah, and her fears around life’s big (positive) changes as I found myself relating to her hard. Well done, Becca!

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (**)
A smart, haunting read about a white author who steals the manuscript from her deceased best-selling author Asian friend and publishes it as her own. Beautifully written, made me think, and surprised me with its thriller-like qualities I didn’t expect. Also did a great job capturing the dangers of social media addiction.

Reign by Katharine McGee (*)
The finale in the young adult American Royals series, McGee couldn’t have put a better bow on these characters’ stories. Packed with strong female lead energy that I love to see (I since gifted the first in the series to my 19-year-old cousin, hoping she enjoys!).

Beach Read by Emily Henry (*)
The first of Henry’s contemporary romance novels, I found it kind of ironic I read this one last. This would be my second-favorite after People We Meet On Vacation. I loved the concept of two authors trying to write foreign-to-them genres and the fact that this plot actually stemmed from Henry’s writer’s block (and ultimately put her on the map!).

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (**)
Couldn’t have loved this one more! This was an absolute delight to read, in part due to the dog Six-Thirty, and I want to exude Elizabeth Zott’s confident energy. Made me think about the effects of the patriarchy on women today compared to the 50s. (I haven’t watched the show yet but I’m curious to see how it holds up.)

Happy Place by Emily Henry (*)
My third favorite Henry. Enjoyed the coastal Maine setting used for the backdrop of the present day, but found the premise of this plot to be a bit far-fetched. (Would a previously-engaged couple really go on a friends trip and not tell anyone that they broke off their engagement?) If you can put that aside then it’s an enjoyable read true to Henry's style. I found I appreciated the development amongst the friend group in regards to navigating life’s transitions more than the romance itself.

The Guest List by Lucy Foley
A thriller that takes place at a wedding on a remote island in Ireland. Sucked me in at the end, as most thrillers do, with a twist I didn’t see coming. But overall not the most memorable and found some of the main characters to be irritable.

Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson (*)
A whip-smart commentary on trust-fund millennial kids in Brooklyn, I really enjoyed this peek into how the 1% hypothetically live and the challenges they face.

The Measure by Nikki Erlick
While this end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it novel presented good questions, it felt too much like the early days of COVID. (In fact, I swore the author wrote this as a commentary on the pandemic but was surprised to find she had the manuscript done before 2020.) Kept me entertained but I could’ve gone without it.

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal (**)
A sucker for a food-based book, I gifted this to my mom, a fellow foodie, a couple years ago when Becca on the Bad on Paper podcast recommended it. It didn’t disappoint and I very much appreciated the interwoven stories told through different ingredients and a continuous decades-spanning timeline. Sort of like a Love Actually meets The Bear for foodies. 

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (**)
Noted from Bill Gates’ reading list a couple years back, I jumped at the chance to read this one when I fittingly found a used copy in a Seattle bookstore for only a few dollars. Thoroughly enjoyed the quirky main character and this unexpected love story.

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
Recommended to me by a former manager years ago, I had this on my list for years and finally got around to reading it. Well written but a bit too dark and depressing for my liking. 

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry (**)
Best read while in a pool or at the beach, preferably with a drink in hand. Loved this one more than Book Lovers due to the travel element weaved throughout and the irresistible best-friends-turned-lovers trope told through a now-and-then plot.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry (*)
My first Emily Henry read (finally), I immediately understood the hype behind her voice. Cute plot and enjoyable to read, but found I didn’t enjoy the meta-ness of a romance about a literary agent despising the small-town meet cute as much as her other novels’ tropes. Appreciated the subplot between the two sisters more.

Rivals by Katharine McGee (*)
The second-to-last book in the American Royal series, it ended with a cliffhanger and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the last one once it was published later this year.

NONFICTION 

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport (***)
I loved this book for it’s simplicity and down-to-brass-tacks approach on how to make your digital devices work for you. Newport writes in a very academic way that I appreciated, telling you upfront the points he’s going to make, backing them up, and then summarizing them at the end. Probably the most actionable self-improvement book I’ve ever read, this is a book I will be returning to and intend to implement some of in the new year.

On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good by Elise Loehnen (**)
I read this book after Satya recommended it during my retreat. It completely dismantled some limiting beliefs I didn’t know I had about myself as a woman and is something I am constantly thinking about now. Loehnen, former Chief Content Officer at Goop, looks at the patriarchy right in the eye without blaming or hating on men but rather examining the system. It completely shifted my worldview and is a timely reader’s companion to the Barbie movie. My only criticism is it could’ve been shorter; while packed with great examples, I think she could’ve gotten her point across with fewer of them.

What We Don't Talk About When We Talk about Fat by Aubrey Gordon (*)
I was gifted this book by my employer when they put on an educational series about body inclusivity. An incredibly valuable, but not often thought about, perspective on what it’s like to be fat in our society. It made me think differently and take a good hard look at my own implicit biases I didn’t know existed.

Quarterlife: The Search for Self in Early Adulthood by Satya Doyle Byock (*)
The backdrop for the women’s retreat I went on this summer, this is a smart, succinct book that brings a new language to the challenges of adulthood that our society needs. I most appreciated her dismissal of categorizing people by their generation; she argues that it’s actually the same phase in one’s life that all adults struggle with, and therefore it’s important we pay it more attention. (Full disclosure: I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Satya in person and she couldn’t be a lovelier human being. <3)

The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self by Michael Easter (**)
Discussed in a previous post here on The Conscious Consumer, this is a book that I really enjoyed while reading it. It takes a look at the dangers of our always-plugged-in world through the lens of physical challenges and the importance of getting out in nature. I fully intend on actioning some of its advice in the new year.

The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey (*)
Disguised under the realm of improving one’s tennis game (the reason I read it), the lessons discussed apply to pretty much all of life in general. While I didn’t give it three stars, I could see myself revisiting it if prompted in the future. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the sometimes sexist-voice. Dating back 49 years ago, this was the oldest book I read this year, so I can excuse those bits that didn't age well for the advice impressively holds up.

Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow & Ann Friedman (***)
A well-researched book interspersed with Sow and Friedman’s own personal friendship journey, I really appreciated this take on modern day female friendships. We need more of this energy, both in life and the publishing and academic industries. I wasn’t even halfway through it when I knew this book would become a mainstay; I sent my two best friends copies.

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Have you read any of these? Let me know what you thought in the comments!